Trotz on future captain

When might we see a Predators’ entry draft pick become the team captain?

That question was posed to Preds coach Barry Trotz by David Boclair of The City Paper last week, and Trotz’s response was an interesting one. Jason Arnott is the team’s current captain and has another year remaining on his contract.

“It’s something that at the end of the year … nothing is in stone,’’ Trotz said. “We’ll reevaluate that every year, just as we did this year. Every year we reevaluate and make changes. At the end of the year and the summer, we’ll look at it every year. It’s an important piece.’’

What would Trotz need to see out of a younger player to make him a captain at some point?

“I think you’re seeing that in the evolution of some of our young guys, especially the three young defensemen (Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Dan Hamhuis),’’ Trotz said. “(They are) guys that have been drafted here and went through Milwaukee. They’ve been leaders at every level, and now they’re feeling more comfortable being a bigger piece over here. That’s just an evolution that happens. Shane Doan (of Phoenix) was not always a captain, now he is Captain Coyote …. We’ll have a Captain Predator in a few years.’’

One other quick note: Brentwood’s Blake Geoffrion picked up an assist on Saturday as third-ranked Wisconsin beat Michigan 3-2. The game was played outdoors at Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium and drew over 55,000 fans.